High speed cylinder-printing machines with movable form beds



June 4, 1957 A. BUTTNER HIGH SPEED CYLINDER-PRINTING MACHINES WITH MOVABLE FORM BEDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Deo. 3, 1953 June 4, 1957 A. Bu'rTNl-:R 2,794,392

HIGH SPEED CYLINDER-PRINTING MACHINES WITH MovABLE FORM BEDS Filed Def". 3, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 wwf/Mgg June 4, 1957 A. BUTTNER H'IGH SPEED CYLINDER-PRINTING MACHINES WITH MOVABLE FORM BEDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 3, 1953 MWN W L m f A n V u mw. A U m N am n \V .sm N Q QN me m fm of Naw W I H m -n IIHUMWHILMLH lr m HH|l|1N1 m WIIIHIHHIIIIIHHHIIHIM l NIH H HI HH m H .llhnl H m o N 1 mN @uw b mmm. mv l l. wllllf |41 MANN!! v A. BUTTNER HIGH SPEED CYLINDER-PRINTING MACHINES WITH June 4, 1957 MOVABLE FORM BEDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 3 1,953v

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HIGH SPEED CYLINDER-PRINTING MACHINES WITH MOVABLE FORM BEDS Filed DSC. 3, 1953 6 SheetS-Sheetk/S @u P? @n if l) INVENToR. ff/fa? aar/*445 June 4, 1957 A. BUTT R HIGH SPEED CYLINDER-PRINTING MACHINES WITH MOVABLEI FORM BEDS Filed Dec. 3, 1953 22a 1HE aaa INVENToR. @WWI/fi @H7/1ER ffice HIGH SPEED CYLINDER-PRINTING MACHINES wrm MovAaL-E FORM BEDS Arthur Buttner, Heidelberg, Germany, assignor to Schnellpressenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft vljleidelheig, Heidelberg, Germany Appnearion December 3, 1953, serial' No. 395,976 Claims priority, application Germany January 17, 1953 8 Claims. (Cl. lOl-268) The present invention refers to improvements in cylinder high-speed printing presses in which one or more beds for lcomposed types are not moved in areciprocal manner, but are guided by means of guide rolls in ian endless or closed path parallel to each other.

Means heretofore proposed for accomplishing this type of bed movement did not flnd any practical application since they do not satisfy desirable requirements as regards the printing output. A particular reason for the latter is that up to the present time it was proposed to employ for the circuitous movement of one or more beds a pin Wheel gear drive mechanism. Such mechanism, however, could not be calculated with suticient accuracy in accordance with circumstances which necessitate consideration of appreciable stresses. In addition thereto, the respective tenons of the drive mechanism for guiding the beds along their circuitous path are subjected to increased sliding friction and consequently to a rapid wear which leads to increased play rand inaccuracies during movements of the bed.

It has further been proposed to employ auxiliary means to aid in the movement of the bed or beds, such as catchfork guide controlmeans, clutch claw means and like devices which, however, lead to a complicated construction of the drive mechanism and since the same .'act on the relatively Weak tenons of the drive mechanism, the principal disadvantages of such pin wheel gear drive mechanism could not be overcome.

It has been already recognized that the movement of the beds during the printing operation by means of pin wheel drive mechanism was not performed with required accuracy. Therefore, it was proposed to provide additional racks on the beds, with which to ensure suitable mesh with toothed segments provided on the impression cylinder to thereby bring about the required accuracy during printing operation. Such compensation for inaccuracies of the gear or pin wheel drive gearing during the printing operation, however, led necessarily to shocks and jerks in the course of the drive.

These deciencies of the well known devices which primarily stem from the employment of undesirable drive mechanisms are overcome in accordance with the invention.

Itis, therefore, one of the primary objects of the invention to provide means enabling a substantial linear movement of the bed or beds, as well as return movement thereof, by means of tooth rolling motions.

A particular preferred embodiment for the special return movement of the bed or beds consists in that planetary gears are disposed on the bed or beds which mesh with and roll over sun pinions or gears mounted on the base frame. These sun and planetary gears operate as parallell-planetary gear crank mechanism which affords a precise rolling motion of the meshing teeth during downward (lowering), as well as upward (rising) movement of the type beds. Preferably, the linear movement of the bed or beds is achieved by means of toothed racks arranged lengthwise of the beds to which are coordinated drive gears journalled on the base frame. 'A particular preferred formation of these toothed racksl is the employment of doubleracks at the end of which are disposed plentary gears whereby the pitch circles of the planetary gea-rs form with the rolling lines of the double-racks a closed or endless path or track. As a consequence thereof, an uninterrupted precise conveying movement for the beds at any location along their path of movement is attained.

These double-racksand planet gears, including the coordinated drive and sun gears, can be calculated in accordance with the stresses prevailing during operational conditions without losing the necessary accuracy for the mesh of the gears and their-rolling movement with respect to each other.

As long as the double-racks terminate at their ends with half-wheel-shaped toothings which coincide with the teeth of the planet gears, a considerable reduction of the stresses of the inner sun gears is attained. Also an exact and accurate adjustment of the position of the teeth of the rack and planet` gears is thus considerably facilitated.

Due to the fact that for the reception of the planet gears which are seated co-axially with the guide rolls, the full surface of the planet gears may be used, the tenons therefor may beso calculated that they take up even during high speed working conditions any stresses during the bed movement.

The endless toothing constituted by the double racks and the laterally arranged planet gears facilitate the employment of one or more of the sun gears as drive gears, whereby preferably the inner sun gears are seated in pairs on the respective shafts of which one or more mfay be driven, whereas the remaining shafts may be driven through intermediary `gears in the same direction of rotation.

The uniformity and smooth movement of the beds without jerks or shocks may be further improved by using one of the driven shafts as a counter-support-cylinder, preferably, such cylinder forming the main drive shaft which also drives the impression cylinder.

VIt is, therefore, another important object of the present invention to provide means affording operative movement of devolution during the pasage of the beds for printing purposes between driven cylinders having one and the same circumferential speed without being subjected to shocks or delays due to any play between the teeth which occurred in heretofore known machines and were caused by dilferent degrees of frictional wear and further by acceleration resulting from the difference in velocity between the various parts which are in engagement with each other.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide means ensuring improvement in the uniformity of the circuitous movement of the aforesaid cylinders which constitute additional swing masses for the printing machine. It is preferred that one or the other of the supporting cylinders is in direct drivin-g relation with the impression cylinder. Y

The counter-support-cylinder and the beds may be provided with several rolling tracks which lare coordinated to each other.

The rolling lines of the racks at the underface of the beds extend in the plane of the rolling path so that during the printing operation a precise developable surface of the printing form below the impression cylinder is thus afforded.

In order to facilitate free passage of the beds with the printing forms below the counter-support-cylinder, the rolling line of the racks coordinated to the printing form surface is positioned above the level of the printing form.

These and other details, objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View of a high-speed cylinder printing press'with two `beds describing respective circuitous paths;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken along line A--B of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken Valong line C-D of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial longitudinal section of the press with ra bed shown in its outermost turning position;

Fig. 5 shows schematically the drive mechanism employable for a second embodimentof the invention provided with four beds of which two are disposed at the outermost turning positions;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a bed according to Fig. 5 with double racks fixed thereto and further with planet gears and guide rollers;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational View of the double-rack with semi-circular gear ends;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to that of Fig. 7 showing double-rack with attached planet gears engaging same.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1-4 an impression cylinder 1, whose drive wheel or gear 2 is directly in mesh with a gear 3 xed to the shaft of a counter-pressure cylinder 4. The impression cylinder 1 and the counter-pressure cylinder 4 are journalled one above the other on base frame 5. The counter-pressure cylinder 4 is driven -by a geari6 and a pinion 7 in mesh therewith, pinion 7 being mounted on ywheel shaft 8. Gear 6 is co-axially arranged with a gear 9 which is aiiixed to the shaft of the counter-pressure cylinder 4. On the other side of the counter-pressure cylinder 4 there is disposed a gear 9a whose diameter and teeth correspond to the diameter and teeth of gear 9. These gears '9, 9a are in mesh at respective opposite sides with intermediary gears 10, 10a, 11 and 11a, the same being journalled on bolts 12 and 12a supported by the aforesaid base frame. Intermediary gears 10, 10a, 11, and 11a drive gears 13, 13a, 14, `and 14a, which are located externally of base frame 5 and protected against oil leakage lby means of covers 18 Vand 19, and on the shafts of which gears 15, 15a andV 16,16*(1 are mounted within the confines Yof the base frame. These latter gears 15, 15a, 16, and 16a coact as sun` gears with gears 17, 17a which are vfixed to the counter-pressure cylinder 4. These gears 15, 15a, 16, and 16aV are equidistantly disposed from the axle or shaft ofpcylinder 4, have the same number of teeth, and are adjusted to each other in regard to the same position of teeth. Y

For receiving the iiat printing form sets, two beds Ztl and 21 (Fig. 1) are provided on which are aihxed at opposite sides thereof double-racks 22 and 22a. These racks 22, 22a have fixed adjacent their ends and outside thereof planetary gears 23, 23a, 24, and 24a. Racks 22 Yand 22a are preferably formed at their respective endY extremities with semi-circular toothed portions ,22b V(Fig. 7), whereby an endless or closed rolling path or track is achieved. These end portions 22h facilitate theadjustment of the positions of the planetary teeth ofthe gears 23, 23a, 24, and 24a relative to theteethof `the racks, which teeth must precisely coincide with each other (Fig. 8). Besides this, the curved rack ends increase the width of the teeth of the planetary gears 23, 23a and 24, 24a during rolling up on the inner sun gears 17, 17a. Coaxially with the planetary gears 23, 23a and 24, 24a are rolls 25, 25a, 26, and 26a, which run -along guide tracks 27, 27a, 2S, and 28a which are arranged in staggered relation to each other and provided at the lateral inner faces of the base fratrieV 5. Y Contrary to known machine arrangements of this type in which inner and outer 'bed guide rolls, on the one hand, and inner and outer guide tracks, on the other hand, extend opposite each other, theV innerrrand outer guide rolls 25,*'26a and 25a, 26v of each the . bed 20, 21 are disposed diagonally opposite each other in accordance with the present invention.

Consequently, the inner and outer guide tracks 27, 28a and 27a, 2S, in which the rolls for the beds lrun, are disposed diagonally opposite each other with respect to the base frame. In View of this particular arrangement, the inner and outer bed rolls and, respectively, the corresponding guide tracks facilitate that during the passage of the beds at the intersections of the inner guide tracks during the circuitous movement each three rolls of each bed run along uninterrupted path sections. Consequently, there remains -always at locations of interruption -of the guide tracks, a certain support for the beds on at least three points which prevent undesired `consequences in the running `of the beds without the employment of any ad-V ditional or auxiliary devices. The guide tracks 27, 27a and 28, 28a are composed of two linear guide track portions and of two arcuate-shaped portions of and extend equi-distantly to the rolling lines of the sun gears 15, 15a, 16, 16a, 17, and 17a, which actuate the beds 20 and 21 to impart circuitous movement to the latter. Rails 31 and 31a aiiixed to the machine frame 5 form further supports for the beds 20, 21 and additionally ensure precise running of the latter in the lower portion of the path of movement.

In order to transfer color to the sets of forms on beds 20, 21, two color applicator mechanisms 32, 33 are disposed which are lifted and lowered in a manner well known so that the applicator rollers will only come in contact with the respective coordinated forms during operation. The `sheets are fed over a supply or feed table 29 to the impression cylinder 1 and are transported by means of a chain mechanism 30 to the guide rail for the sheets. Y

The movement of the beds 20, 21 is carried out in -a manner so that the same, during printing operation, are supported over their `entire width by the surface or superiicies of the counter-pressure or counter-support cylinder 4. This surface has a diameter which corresponds exactly to the pitch `diameter' of the sun gears 17 and 17a. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, this Vsurface of the counter-support cylinder is divided into individual rolling paths or tracks. The underface of the beds 20, 21 is located on equal level with the rolling lines of the lower teeth of the double-racks 22, 22a, while the rolling lines rof the upper teeth of the double-racks 22, 22a lie above the level of the type forms so that these `forms may be spaced a relatively small distance z below the countersupport cylinder 4 when moving past the latter (Fig. 3).

The drive of the machine is caused by the flywheel seated on the pinion shaft 8 and is transferred over pinion 7 to toothed gear 6 which, in turn, is iixedly connected to' gear 9 of the counter-support cylinder 4 and which drives, through intermediary gears 10 and' 11, the sun gears 15 and 16. Simultaneously through gear 3 of the counter-support cylinder 4, gear 2 of the impression cylinder 1 is driven. The diameter of the counter-support cylinder 4 and that of the impression cylinder 1, aswell as the pitch diameters of gears 2 and 3 are of such ratio to each other that both cylinders 4 and 1 rotate with one and the same peripheral speed. The sun gears 17 and 17a on counter-support cylinder 4 constitute further drive means which drive beds 20, 21 during the linear movement, as they are in mesh with racks 22 and 22a. At the end of the linear path of the beds 2i), 21, the return movement 'of 180 starts since the sun gears 17, 17a, 15, 15a and 16, 16a will then get in mesh with the planetary gears 24, 24a, 23, 23a in a continuous rolling or devolving operation which latter gears then take over the further transportation of the beds 20, 21. Since at both sides of the beds 20, 21 two planetary gears 23, 23a and 24, 24a, respectively, are in mesh with the' sun gears 17, 17a and 115, V1541, as well as 16, 16a, the return movementvof the bed or beds along their circuitous path takes place in conformity withV the principle of* a parallel-planetary gear crank mechanism in uninterrupted and precise movement of devolution. Thus, a shock-free movement of the beds 29, 21 without substantial wear is achieved. This particular movement and its underlying principle permit the employment of any desirable number of beds for composed types, which is conducive to an extremely high output of production.

In Fig. 5, there is further shown an embodiment with four beds in which four pairs of sun gears 17, 17a; 15, 15a; 17h, 17e; and 16, 16a are provided. It is understood that for `a larger number of beds additional pairs of sun gears are to be arranged.

In place of the drive means hereinabove disclosed and shown, in which the beds are driven through sun gears engaging racks Xed to the beds and planetary gears, the beds may also be driven in kinematically reversed manner with rotatable planetary gears which cooperate with fixed half-sun gears and racks which are attached to the base frame of the machine. In contradistinction to the revolving movement of the beds as disclosed, the latter can be also moved in vertical, as Well as in any desired angular position whereby a shorter or reduced area for the machine base is obtained.

It is to be noted that the herein mentioned gear means may be equipped with involute gear teeth, cycloidal teeth and like curved teeth formations ensuring a movement of devolution during movement of the form beds along their predetermined endless paths.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and shown in the drawings, it should be noted that the invention may be realized in modified form and adaptations of the arrangements herein disclosed may be made, as may readily occur to persons skilled in the art without constituting a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the objects and in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a high-speed printing press having an impression cylinder and a base frame; track means on said base frame and defining an endless path having parallel, rectilinear portions, one of which is located immediately adjacent said cylinder, and arcuate end portions interconnecting said parallel portions, said arcuate end portions having respective centers of curvature, form-supporting bed means, guide means on said bed means and engaging said track means to guide said bed means during movement thereof past said cylinder along said endless path, elongated rack means axed to said bed means, said rack means having parallel side edges and arcuate end edges with respective centers of curvature and being provided with teeth along all of said edges, planetary gears xed to said rack means laterally thereof with their axes coinciding, respectively, with said centers of curvature of said end edges and having some of their peripheral teeth disposed parallel to the teeth of said rack means at said end edges, at least three sun gear means journalled in said base frame with the axes of rotation of two of said sun gear means coinciding, respectively, with the centers of curvature of said arcuate end portions of said endless path, remaining sun gear means being located intermediate said two sun gear means, the distance between the axis of each of said two sun gear means and the axis of the next adjacent one of said remaining sun gear means being equal -to the distance between said centers of curvature of said arcuate end edges of said rack means, said two sun gear means being constructed for meshing engagement of their teeth only with all of the peripheral teeth of said planetary gears, said remaining sun gear means being constructed for meshing engagement with said rack means and said planetary gears, and driving means operatively connected to said sun gear means to rotate the latter and to thereby move said rack means with said bed means along said endless path in printing relation with said cylinder when in one of said rectilinear portions and out of printing relation with said cylinder when in the other rectilinear portion, said sun gear means when meshing with the respective planetary gears facilitating movement of said bed means with said guide means from either one of said rectilinear portions of said path along the adjacent arcuate end portion to the other rectilinear portion.

2. In a press according to claim 1, said end edges of said rack means being semi-circular, said planetary gears being circular, a portion of the circumference of each of said planetary gears coinciding with the corresponding end edge of said rack means.

3, In a press according to claim 1, said guide means comprising guide rolls coaxially arranged with respect to said planetary gears.

4. In a press according to claim 1, said driving means including drive gears and intermediary gears operatively connecting said drive gears to said sun gear means, and a plurality of shafts for said sun gear means, said shafts being journaled in said base frame and at least one of said shafts being positively driven by said driving means.

5. In a press according to claim 4, a counter-support cylinder disposed on and concentrically with said one shaft opposite said impression cylinder.

6. In a press according to claim 5, the diameter of said counter-support cylinder being equal to the pitch diameter of said sun gear means, the upper surface of said bed means being spaced from said counter-support cylinder during movement of said bed means in said other rectilinear portion.

7. In a press according to claim 1, said guide means comprising guide rolls coaxially arranged with respect to said planetary gears, said track means comprising two pairs of equally spaced, parallel tracks, said pairs of tracks being arranged diagonally of and in staggered relation to each other on said base frame.

8. In a press according to claim 1, said remaining sun gear means being two in number, the distance between the axes of rotation of said two remaining sun gear means being equal to the distance between said centers of curvature of said arcuate end edges of said rack means.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

